Flexible shaft.



A. S. MCCASKEY.

FLEVXIBLE SHAFT. APrucATlon man APR. 1o. |9\6.

1,258gj238. Patented Mar. 5, 1918-.

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Altra-nn s. i/ieGasKEY, or c HICAeo, Inni-N015, Assreivon 'ro cran-E P MQCASKEy-QF Grimace, ILLINOIS. a Y

FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

Specication of LettersPatent.

. Patcntedh/ar. 5,1918.

appiicationvaied April 1o, i916. seriai No. 30,029.

To all whom 15p/may concern:

Beit known that LALFRED S. MCCASKEY, .a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented` certain new and useful improvements in Flexible Shafts; and Ido hereby declare that the followin is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference `being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which forin a part of this specification.

This inventionl relates to improvements in flexible shafts ,and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out. in the appended claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a hollow flexible shaft, which is cheap to manufacture, easy to assemblarefhcient in operation for its intended purpose, and which is strong .and durable, thus insuring greater amount; of service than has heretofore been attainable in flexible shafts as now made. Y

Other objects land advantageswill appear as I proceed .with my specification.

In the drawings: Y

Figure l is aview insidej elevation of my improved exible shaftas it appears within its sheath or covering. A

Fig. 2 is a view `on as omewhat enlarged scale showing a portion of aflexible shaft made ,in accordance with .my invention, partlyin side `elevation `and partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View through my Vimproved flexible shaft, the plane of the sectionvbeing indicated by the line 3,-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of one of the units or linksforming my improved flexible shaft.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3 and shows a slightly modified form of connection between the units.

Fig. 6 is .a v-longii-.udinal detaily sectional view through a further modified form of my l invention.

Fig. 7 is ya transverse sectional yview through the structure shown in Fig. 6, the

plane of the section being indicatedbythe line 7-7 ofsaid Fig. 6. i

Referring now to that embodiment of my invention aspllustrateddll the drawings and i 5 5 .f

more. :particularly t0 that fom .Shawn .in

ll2 by means of a neck'15,the lateral edges Figsl tor l inclusivethereof, 1.0 indicates as a whole a short i section or 'length n.of my improved flexibleV shaft. [Said shaft comprises a plurality of substantiallyshort tubular units cig-.links 11 which arecoupled or connected together in a manner'prevent-jV ing` relative displacement in any direction between them,but permittingl of a range/of flexibleV movement between each adjoining unit. Each unit or link has a tubularfbody part l2 which is preferablyrmade of a length approximating its diameter but of vcourse this proportion could be materially changed without departing from the spirit of the. in-

vention.

The tubulaibody V12 of each unit 10 is provided'at one end with apair of longii tudinally extending, diametrically opposite lugs 13413 andkat'its other end with com,- plementaryY shaped bearing notches la, in which the lugs I3-13 ofan Vadjoining unit are-adaptedto engage in manner couplingsaid units together. The diametric plane of the lugs 13 ofone unitnisjarranged at right'angles to thecorresponding. planeof the bearingnotches la inthe same unit, and

' the` advantage ofy such an arrangement will appear later.

Each lug lBvconsistsof. ahead 13a which is connected to the end oftheassociatedbody of `which diverge]l outwardly as they approach said body. Each bearing notch 14,'

formed in the opposite endff'of said bodyv is of 'Y a contour correspondingtoY and adapting'itj tozreceive the lugs V13. of an adioininguunit and each bearing notch opens intothe jfree end of said body by means of asomewhat restricted passageV or throat 16, through which the neckl of anassociated lugl3 nectedY together. Y

When the lugs 13 of one unit' areengaged within 'the corresponding bearing notches 1 4 ofI an adjoining unit, a ring vi8 isinserted 100 fr into the notched end ofthe last coupled unit and moved coaxiallytherein'until it registers with theE lugs '13, engaged inthe notches isin its proper locking position in thefinterior `of the Vbody Rivets'lQ are inserted Y through- Said '.reseterns..apertures anda-1rv,set from within' the,bodyl2. j.,Assshownfhilli110V Y extends when said unitsfare coupled or conf- Y coupling connectionwith a suitably driven` mcmbein Figs. 2 and 3, two of such rivets are used, thus providing a `free passagethrough .all of the inter-connected and coupled units.

Y SaidY passage may be used for the reception of a lubricant, or if desired, conductor wires or the like may be passed therethrough. Instead of using two of such short rivets for each ring V18 I may find it convenient to make use of a single long rivet 21 as shown in Fig. 5, said rivet extending di'ametrically through the body and ring and being upset at its ends as shown. This construction I possesses advantages and does not materiallyV Vobstruct the free passage through the shaft.

As shown in Fig. lthe left-hand endmost unit 11 is coupled or connected by means of its lugs 13 in bearing notches 14a, (which are identical to the bearing notches 111 before mentioned) formed in a terminal unit 11a. Said terminal unit may be either a tool holding chuck or the like or it may constitute a 22 indicates a suitable sheath or covering for the shaft which comprisesan inner metallic member of coiled wire 23 and an outer member of flexible material 24 such as rubber or textile tubing.V A collar 25 is fixed to the terminal end of said sheath, and a bearing ring 26 is placed within said collar to provide the proper bearing for the terminal unit 11a. To prevent any tendency ofthe several coupled together or connected units Y to pinch or cut into Vthe sheathingV and to prevent binding between the adjoining ends Y of the several units, especially when the shaft as a whole is arranged on a curve or arc, I prefer to round off the sharp edge at j terior with an annular groove 31 arranged in the plane of the center of the bearing notches 111. The inner face of each head 13 will be provided with a wider groove or re-V cess 13x which will permit of a pivotal movement of said head within an associated bearing notch 14 without binding against said ring 30. To insert one of such rings place after one of said units has been coupled to an adjacent unit, said split spring ring is compressed until its spaced endsengage each other, when the ring as a whole Y is then inserted into the notched open end of Y the last coupled unit. Said ring may now be j moved inwardly toward its Vcomplemental grooves-by means of any suitable implement such as, for example; a short piece of tubing, i

untilit nregisters with said grooves, when said ring will expand and seat within said Y grooves.Y Y Y It is apparent that my improved flexible 1 shaft possesses many advantagesover shafts as now used for similar purposes. It may Vbe made from short odds and ends of tubing'YV which have hitherto been scrapped as waste, or it'may be stamped from flat sheetmetal and formed into tubular shape afterwardv (the seam of course being brazed or welded) or said units may be made of cast metal.V

0n account of the units being lmade tubular in form, torsionalV strain suchY as is imposed upon said units will not produce crystallization and breakage in said units.V Furthermore, the tubular sections are not apt to become heated by. friction of the parts, as they may be coated inside as well as outside with suitable lubricant.Y VMy improved i'iexible shaft adords substantially unobstructed space or passageway which may be used'for V, the reception of current orother conductors, or should it be desired said passageway may be used toconvey oil or water to the operating tool driven by saidshaft. My improved shaft possesses anotherk ,advantage which is quite important, and that is, it is lighter in 1. A iiexible shaft comprising a plurality of units, each of said units comprising` a" tubular body part having at one end diametyrically opposite bearing notches and at'its other end longitudinally extending diamet# rically Vopposite bearing lugs arranged'gatV right angles to said notches, said Vlugs beingv adapted to engage within the ,bearingA notches of the adjoining unit in a manner permitting of a iexible movement between said units and rings fixed within said units Y and adapted to retain said lugs kwithin said bearing notches.Y

2; A iexible shaft comprising a plurality of units, each of which comprises a tubular body of a length approximating'its'diameter, said tubular bodyhaving at one" end diametrically ,opposite bearing notches and y nat its opposite end longitudinally'extending v, y

diametrically oppositelugs arranged at right angles to said notches, said lugs being adapted to engage within the bearing notches ofV the adjoining unit in a manner permittingof a flexiblemovement between said units, and a ring within each unit arranged in the plane of the yaxis of said recesses, said Yringv land unit having coactingmeansfor preventing 130 n weight thanY is a shaft 'composed of solid Y relative movement betweenV them, said ring preventing lateral movement between adjoining units. v

3. A flexible shaft comprising a plurality of units, each of which comprises a tubular body having at one end diametrically opposite bearing notchesand at its other end longitudinally extending diametrically opposite lugs which are adapted to engage within the bearing notches of an adjoining unit in a manner permitting of a flexible movement between them, said vbody, also having on its interior, longitudinallyspaced annular grooves, which register together when said lugs are engaged in said bearing notches and an expansible splitring adapted to'be inserted into said body through the recessed end thereof and to enter and expand into y said registered grooves, said ringpreventlng relative lateral movement between said units.

In testimony that I claim theY foregoing asV my invention I ailiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 8th day of Witnesses: i

T. H. ALFREDS, KARL W. DOLL.

opies of this patentmay he obtained for ve cents each, by addressing'the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. 

